Starter not engaging - ideas?

Hi, I just bought a 97 VFR (UK) and am pretty new to bikes in general (not cars though) - Anyway, when I started the bike initially it was fine, but now when I try and start it, it makes a whirring noise, but definitely no engine turning noises -

Every now and then it will grab and turn a bit but not enough to start.

So from my limited knowledge, it sounds like the bit the fires out of the starter to contact the flywheel (thinking about old VWs here!) is not going far enough and spinning freely - does this sound like a fair guess?

Its got really cold here recently (-4) so I was wondering whether it had anything to do with that - the lights seem to work well, so it dosent appear to be a battery problem.



So any ideas where to start - the bike may have been stood a while,

 

as i dont have the book for that bike, all i can do is guess. I would agree that the engagment gear is not doing its job. if it is a chain start (like on my cm200) then there is a clutch on the big sprocket that will need to be replaced. have you tried bumpstarting the bike? some times things dont lineup but if there moved abit then alls good again. you also didnt say how many miles(kms) are on the clock.

 

its got 19,000 miles, I havent tried bump starting it, but i did put it in gear and rock it about a bit

 

Maybe one of the other guys here can give better advise, but if you want to fix it yourself then i say buy the shop book and take it apart. you shouldnt need anything special to get to it. Check with your local honda dealer as they should also be able to get parts still. you will pay more for genuine parts. if not, just about any MC mech can fix a starter issue in a couple of days (granting they wont get to it right away)

 

If you don't have a manual click on link below and download one. best place to start.
http://vfrworld.com/forums/specifications/3161-downloadable-parts-catalogs-service-manuals.html

 

Sounds like the starter clutch has failed. It is an easy fix, two maybe three beer job.

 

Sounds like the starter clutch, but it's not like the one you described on the VW. Instead of a spring and worm gear, most motorcycles, including this one, use a 'sprague' type, or one way clutch. You'll need to remove the right engine cover to inspect and replace.

How it works is...through a series of gears the starter spins the engine. The one in concern here has a flange with a bearing surface the sprague spins on. Basically the sprague allows the gear to lock one way and free wheel the other. So...if your starter is turning faster than the engine, it locks, and your starter turns the engine over. If your engine is turning faster than your starter, it allows the sprague and gear to freewheel. Sounds like yours is freewheeling when it's not supposed to.

 

I did replace the one on Cundalini's gen 3 with a gen2 , same animal. Pretty sure yours is the same as well, makes looking for one easier.Gonna rummage through the stash of parts in a bit, will see if I have another one.

 

I had the same issue this summer with my '96; it was a starter clutch issue. Before you order pats, take off the cover and check the starter clutch for cracks, if ok then check the three tension springs ( look like the springs in the top of Bic pens); one of mine had fatigued to the point that it wouldn't push the plunger enough to engage the roller. Comparing the three springs side by side, the difference in spring length was readily apparent. Hopefully, it's this issue and not a crack in the starter clutch itself, which occurs occasionally. The springs are just a couple bucks each. Read the manual as there is some lubrication of the main bolt required, along with some loctite requirements, if memory serves me.

Lastly, make sure you put a little anti-seize on the 13 cover bolts on re-install; 2 of mine had frozen solid and I had to snap them off to remove the cover; luckily they were at at the top of the case and no leaks developed. Not much pressure in there anyway. It's a pretty easy job. Good luck.
Joe
PS Using spray-on Gasket Remover makes removing the original side cover gasket MUCH easier.

PPS To your point,I guess it is possible the extreme cold has contracted the starter clutch part (s) at issue enough to make the engagement issue worse...

 

I pulled mine apart last week and it turned out that cold weather can hamper its operation, and it needed a good cleaning...Works like new..................cost new gasket 15.00

 

By the way, if it does turn out to be starter clutch-related and you need to order a part other than the 3 plunger springs order three new ones anyway; when you see them you'll see just how pathetically weak they look and if one or more hasn't failed yet they will...for about $10 it might save you from re-doing the job in the not-too-distant future.

 

Subsequent posts have made me suspect this type of starter clutch (sprague) was not used until 98...sounds like you got the old style centrifugal spring and dowel type. Sorry for the mistake. The information posted by others is good...I'd add this type of starter clutch relies on spinning fast enough for the dowels to overcome the tension of the springs. So cold (engine spins slower) can have a lot to do with it.

 

I do have several starter clutch assemblies so if you need one let me know. Snap some pic's of yours to be sure it is the same but I think they are all the same for gen 2-4.

 

cheers guys - you're a very helpful bunch clearly I came to the right place